Chuck Barris Quick Links

Reflecting on Chuck Barris' sensational claims in 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind'.

It's a sad week for Chuck fans all round because it has just been announced that the legendary daytime TV star Chuck Barris - the man who once claimed to be a CIA assassin and inspired the movie 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' - is dead at the age of 87.

Chuck Barris joking around at a ball in 2006

The Philadelphia-born television presenter died of natural causes at his home yesterday (March 21st 2017) in Palisades, New York and is survived by his wife of seventeen years Mary Rudolph. Chuck Barris revolutionised daytime TV in that he created the internationally popular 'blind date show' concept with his 1965 show 'The Dating Game', as well as one of the first TV talent competitions 'The Gong Show'. But perhaps the thing that he is most famous for is his claim that he once worked as a hitman for the Central Intelligence Agency.

The 1960s was an incredible decade for music, with the likes of Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Sonny & Cher, The Monkees and many, many others producing timeless hits that remain in the world's consciousness to this day. However, little do people know the reason for all these genius hits, for the catchy melodies and iconic hooks; behind every great artist of the day was a band unlike any other. The Wrecking Crew were probably the most sought after session musicians of the era, producing beats for all areas of the West Coast Sound, winning Grammys and become just as rich as the people they were supporting - and yet the general public remained widely oblivious to the music industry's secret weapon. They may have been ever-evolving, but these LA artists were still top choice for the biggest stars, namely Phil Spector who dubbed them 'The Phil Spector Wall of Sound Orchestra'.

Through the 1960s, a collection of Los Angeles musicians worked together in order to support acts like The Beach Boys and Frank Sinatra. This group was called The Wrecking Crew, and they created some of the greatest and most influential songs, without receiving any of the credit for it. Beach Boys co-founder, Bryan Wilson, described how they were the most important part of that period in music. A documentary 12 years in the making, sheds some light on some of the unsung heroes of the musical industry in the 1960s.